Typewriter ribbon cartridge



July 12, 1966 J. c. DOYLE TYPEWRITER RIBBON CARTRIDGE Filed Feb. 24, 1964 FIG. 1

I .".I I

3 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH CARROLL DOYLE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,260,344 TYPEWRITER RIBBON CARTRIDGE Joseph Carroll Doyle, Pittsford, N.Y., assignor to Kee Lox Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 346,897 6 Claims. (til. 197151) This invention relates to cartridges for holding inked ribbons, and more particularly to a cartridge for housing the ribbon and spools in a typewriter or similar printing machine.

In certain typewriters replaceable cartridges are used for holding the typewriter ribbon and spools or cores on which the ribbon is wound. As previously made, however, these cartridges have had their side walls permanently connected to their top and bottom walls. As a result, when the typewriter ribbon will no longer make acceptably legible impressions, or in the case of a plastic ribbon which has been used once or at most twice, the whole cartridge including the ribbon and the spools or cores has to be thrown away, and a new cartridge with new ribbon and spools has to be installed in the machine. This is expensive.

There is another disadvantage with the prior construction also. Today there is a large demand for typewriters that can be converted to a polyethylene, Mylar or carbon paper type ribbon and can also use a fabric ribbon of nylon, silk, cotton, etc. With the prior cartridges, a separate cartridge has to be provided for each different type ribbon thereby making it costly to effect a conversion from one to another type of ribbon. Aside from this there is the expense of inventorying many ditferent cartridges, and their ribbons and spools.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved typewriter ribbon cartridge which will reduce the cost of replacing ribbons in typewriters of the type described. To this end, one purpose of this invention is to effect a saving in cost by making ribbon cartridges that can become a more or less permanent attachment to typewriters and like printing machines, and that need not be removed from the machine when changing ribbons.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved typewriter cartridge that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which can house selectively various diiierent types of typewriter ribbons.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ribbon cartridge so constructed that it is convenient to change the typewriter or other machine from one using a fabric to a machine using a polyethylene, Mylar, carbon paper, or any other ribbon, and vice versa, by simply changing from one ribbon to another.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. '1 is a plan view of a cartridge made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, part of one cover of the cartridge being broken away to illustrate more clearly one of the ribbon spools disposed in the cartridge;

FIG. 2 is an end view of this cartridge; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of this cartridge, partly cut away and in section, and showing one of its covers pivoted part-way toward its fully open position.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, the ribbon cartridge is designated at 11. It comprises a hollow casing or housing 12, open at its top and having a generally flat, rigid bottom wall 13 and an integral upwardly-projecting perimetric side wall 14. Adjacent opposite ends, the side wall 14 is provided with slots 17, the marginal edges of which are rounded. ofi (FIG. 1) for passage of a ribbon therethrough. Also, the outer face of wall 14 at opposite ends thereof is notched or grooved in a conventional manner as at 18 for accommodating conventional clamps (not illustrated) which hold the cartridge removably in a typewriter.

Integral with the side wall 14 of the cartridge at opposite sides thereof are lugs 19 and 20. Hinged to these lugs are identical covers 21 and 22. Each cover has a pair of hinge members 28, 29 integral with it at one end and projecting upwardly from it and engaging in bearing holes 23, 24 formed in the lugs 19, 20, respectively. Each cover section is adapted to cover substantially one half of the upper end of casing 12. For clearance, the covers are notched at 25, 27, adjacent the hinge lugs 19, 20. These enable each of the covers to be hinged through a full without interference with one another. Centrally between their sides the covers are provided at adjacent ends with confronting arcuat-e recesses 26.

Remote from the recesses 26 the covers 21 and 22 are provided with notches or recesses 34 which register with the recesses 18 in the ends of the casing 12. Each cover has an integral tab or lug 36 at one side, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, which projects slightly laterally beyond the wall 14 of the case when the cover is closed, to form a thumb hold for lifting the cover. Adjacent its thumb tab 36 each cover 21 and 22 has therethrough a small circular hole 37 (FIG. 3). When thecovers are closed, each of these openings 37 is adapted to be pressed over one of a pair of circular bosses 38 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which project from the upper edge of the side wall 14 adjacent opposite ends thereof, thereby resiliently to hold the cover latched in its down position.

Each cover 21, 22 also has therethrough a circular opening 41. When a respective cover is closed, its opening 41 is adapted to register coaxially with one of a pair of spaced openings 42 (FIG. 3) in the casing bottom 13.

The ribbon spools 43 and 44 are identical and are adapted to be removably mounted within the casing 12. Each spool 43, 44 has a pair of upwardly projecting prongs 45 at its upper end, which are disposed at opposite sides of the axis of the spool and are rounded on their outsides, and are adapted to engage loosely in one of the circular openings 41 in the covers 21 and 22, when the latter are closed.

In its outer peripheral surface, each spool has a pair of diametrally opposite, axially extending grooves 47,

which are diametrally aligned with the associated prongs or bearing members 45. Between each pair of grooves 47 diametrally opposite outer portions of each spOOl are fiatted off as at 49.

At its lower end each spool has a pair of diametrally opposite, axially extending notches 51, by means of which the lower ends of the spools are adapted to be connected to the driving mechanism (not illustrated) in the typewriter, when the cartridge 11 is positioned therein.

For use, a spool or core, on which the typewriter ribbon is wound, is put in one chamber of the cartridge 11, and an empty spool or core is put in the other chamber. The lead end of the ribbon, or the like, R (broken lines in FIG. 1) is then drawn out through one of the slots 17 in the casing wall and fed int-o the other slot 17 and attached to the empty spool or core. With the covers 21 and 22 open this can easily be done.

For securing the ends of the ribbon to the two spools or cores, a resilient spring clamp 53 may be used. Each clamp 53 is generally C-shap'ed in cross section to conform to the shape of a spool. Its ends are bent inwardly toward one another to snap into the grooves 47 of the spool; and at its lower end it is provided with a notch 54 (FIG. 3) which registers with the notches 51 of a spool, when the clamp is secured thereon.

After the cartridge has been loaded with the spools and ribbon, it is placed in the typewriter. The ribbon feeding mechanism of the typewriter will then register with and engage through one of the openings 42 in the casing bottom 13 with one of the spools 43, 44 to drive the same. At this time the covers 21 and 22 are closed; the pins 38 are snugly seated in the openings 37; and the spool bearings 45 are seated in the cover openings 41.

When it is desired to change ribbons, all that is necessary to do it to hinge the covers 21 and 22 to their open positions, remove the spools and ribbon and replace them with other spools and ribbon. Then the covers are closed again. It is not necessary to remove the cartridge from the typewriter. The hinged covers permit ready access to the ribbon and spools.

The notches 25, 27 permit the covers 21 and 22 to be pivoted more than 90 degrees upon being opened. The notches 26 prevent the covers from interferring with one another when opened fully, thereby permitting housing in the cartridge spools larger than are ordinarily used in ribbon cartridges.

The casing 12 and its cover sections 21 and 22 may be made of plastic, metal, or any material that can be molded, bent or pressed into the desired shape.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or custo mary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like, comprising (a) a casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric side wall,

(b) a pair of covers hinged to said casing to pivot into and out of closed positions in which they substantially cover the top of the casing,

(c) a pair of ribbon spools removably mounted in said casing to rotate about spaced, parallel axes which extend between the top and bottom of said casing, and

((1) guide means on one end of each of said spools adapted to register with corresponding guide surfaces on said covers, when said covers are in their closed positions, to guide said spools for rotation about said axes.

2. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like,

comprising (a) a casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric side wall,

(b) a pair of rigid covers hinged to said casing at its top and pivotal into and out of closed positions in which each cover closes substantially one half of said casing,

(c) a pair of ribbon spools removably mounted in said casing to rotate about spaced, parallel axes, each of said spools at one end thereof having (d) a pair of diametrally opposite, axially extending lugs, which project through a circular opening in one of said covers when the latter is closed,

(e) the lugs of each pair having concave outer surfaces engageable with diametrally opposite sides of the circular opening in the corresponding cover through which they project, thereby to guide said spools for rotation about said axes.

3. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like,

comprising (a) a hollow casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric side wall,

(b) a pair of ribbon spools mounted in said casing to rotate about spaced, parallel axes which extend between the top and bottom of said casing,

(c) a pair of covers for closing the top of said casing,

and

((1) means hingedly connecting each cover to said casing centrally of its top to pivot independently of one another between open and closed positions, respectively over said top of said casing, and about closely spaced, parallel axes which extend transverse to the first-named axes.

4. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like,

comprising (a) a hollow casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric sidewall,

(b) a pair of ribbon spools mounted in said casing to rotate about spaced, parallel axes,

(c) a pair of covers for closing the top of said casing, said covers having arcuate recesses in their adjacent ends,

(d) means hinging said covers at said ends to the side wall of said casing to pivot between open and closed positions, respectively, over the top of said casing, about closely spaced, parallel axes which extend transverse to the first-named axes, and

(e) means for releasably holding said covers in their closed positions, said recesses being in confronting, registering relation to one another, when said covers are closed.

5. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like,

comprising (a) a hollow casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric side wall,

(b) a pair of ribbon spools mounted in said casing to rotate about spaced parallel axes,

(c) a pair of covers for closing the top of said casing, each of said covers having therethrough a circular opening,

(d) means connecting said covers to said casing to pivot between open and closed positions over the top of said casing, and about closely'spaced, parallel axes, which extend between and at right angles to the axes of rotation of said spools, and

(e) a pair of diametrally opposite lugs projecting axially beyond one end of each spool to engage diametrally opposite sides of the circular opening in one of said covers, when the latter is closed, thereby to fix the axes of rotation of said spools in said casing.

6. A ribbon cartridge for typewriters and the like,

comprising (a) a casing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having a perimetric side wall,

(b) a pair of covers hinged to said casing to cover,

when closed, the top opening of said casing,

(c) said casing having a pair of openings in its bot tom, and

(d) each of said covers having an opening through it,

(e) the openings in the two covers aligning with the bottom openings in said casing when the covers are closed, and

(f) means for mounting a pair of ribbon spools in said casing, each spool being in axial alignment with the hole in one cover and the aligned bottom hole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1958 Lambert 206-52 5/1961 Whippo l9715l 

6. A RIBBON CARTRIDGE FOR TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING (A) A CASING CLOSED AT ITS BOTTOM AND OPEN AT ITS TOP AND HAVING A PERIMETRIC SIDE WALL, (B) A PAIR OF COVERS HINGED TO SAID CASING TO COVER, WHEN CLOSED, THE TOP OPENING OF SAID CASING, (C) SAID CASING HAVING A PAIR OF OPENINGS IN ITS BOTTOM, AND (D) EACH OF SAID COVERS HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH IT, (E) THE OPENINGS IN THE TWO COVERS ALIGNING WITH THE BOTTOM OPENINGS IN SAID CASING WHEN THE COVERS ARE CLOSED, AND (F) MEANS FOR MOUNTING A PAIR OF RIBBON SPOOLS IN SAID CASING, EACH SPOOL BEING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE HOLE IN ONE COVER AND THE ALIGNED BOTTOM HOLE. 